You may earn a maximum of 3 points toward your final grade by doing the above and answering the questions and submitting them ontime (no later than Sunday, January 18 at or before 12:01am). Any worksheets submitted after the deadline will get a 0. You will be rewarded a maximum of 3 points if I judge your work to be above average. You will receive 2 points if your work is average, that is it may have a few minor mistakes in some of the answers but demonstrates correct grammer and indicates that some, but not all, of the answers, are acceptable and well expressed. You will earn only 1 point if you simply answered the questions and/or if you use poor grammar and if there are signs that you have not read the material on which your answers are based.
1. Describe the stasis in the play: where, when, who, what, etc. in a paragraph.
The play mainly takes place in LA, on the westside. Some parts take place in San Francisco. The entirety of the play leads up to the LA riots. The main character is Brenda. Other characters include, her family, Sherry, Hai, Kali, Smoke, Rosie, and Aunti Mary. 2. What is the intrusion?
The intrusion is when Brenda goes to high school. From there, a large amount of tension builds up between many of the characters, especially Smoke, Kali, and Brenda. Many riots and violence occur. The events start flowing quicker and problems begin arising, especially concerning racism. 3. What is the unique factor?
The unique factor is that this is the day she tells us her story. The entire play is a set of flashbacks that the narrator, or Brenda, interrupts or guides us through. 4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play?
The dramatic question that is answered by the end of the play is what will happen between the two social groups. There is a build up of tension between them throughout the play. Both clash together in a violent riot in the final scene. 5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it.
The scene at the beginning of the play that describes Dave's Pharmacy illustrates a sense of community. It showed regular customers, and those who hung around the store. It shows on a small way, the closeness of the community on the west side.
Another illustration is Brenda's description of herself. Here we learn how she sees herself. The asthma, body weight, and acne lowers her self confidence. We also learn her family does not have much money as they all wear similar clothes stitched from the same fabric. This explains why she falls for Kali so easily as he is most likely the only one who has shown her attention. 6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be.
There are many theatrical moments in the play. A main one is probably starting high school. From there, you see all the problems of racism begin to show. All these people of different backgrounds come together and they all treat each other a certain way because of that fact. Even the teachers treat the students differently. Brenda's teacher makes her befriend another student because they're both 'ethnic'. The education also places them in different classes that makes it seem as though those from the west side who don't 'talk' the same need more help. And it is from this experience that helps shape the rest of the characters and events. We see Brenda do the same things with her students when she becomes a teacher and the cycle never ends. 7. List some of the themes of the play.
Racism is a major theme in the play. Brenda encounters racism in many forms, one being her teacher, Judy, and when she first enters college. She mentioned not being against the Vietnamese because "they look like us". Feminism is also another theme. His father didn't want her to get an education because he thought she'd become too smart for a man to want her. 8. What does the narrator want and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of her getting what she wants?
Once Brenda got older, she wanted to get out of West Side and get a higher education in college. However, she encountered a student who basically wanted to exploit her race. She eventually dropped from school because she wants to become a teacher to help the younger generation. She then becomes a teacher and wants to help the students. However, none of the students really respected her. 9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play.
The roses may be an image of hope. During the violence, they represented the bloodshed. How after all the violence, they still bloom through all the blood.
High school could be another image. Maybe seen as an instigator of conflict between different classes and races of people. 10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play.
The play did not focus much on familial relationships. There were some scenes where Brenda had confrontations with her family or more specifically, her dad. She ended up arguing with him and left home. She mentions that they make up and are better, but its very brief. The main relationships focused on were friendship and romantic relationships. They were the main ones a part of the riot that occurred in the end. Brenda's relationship with Kali is seen as more of a toxic relationship, where Kali often brings her down and she ends up dropping him all together in order to survive.
You will be rewarded a maximum of 3 points if I judge your work to be above average. You will receive 2 points if your work is average, that is it may have a few minor mistakes in some of the answers but demonstrates correct grammer and indicates that some, but not all, of the answers, are acceptable and well expressed. You will earn only 1 point if you simply answered the questions and/or if you use poor grammar and if there are signs that you have not read the material on which your answers are based.
1. Describe the stasis in the play: where, when, who, what, etc. in a paragraph.
The play mainly takes place in LA, on the westside. Some parts take place in San Francisco. The entirety of the play leads up to the LA riots. The main character is Brenda. Other characters include, her family, Sherry, Hai, Kali, Smoke, Rosie, and Aunti Mary.
2. What is the intrusion?
The intrusion is when Brenda goes to high school. From there, a large amount of tension builds up between many of the characters, especially Smoke, Kali, and Brenda. Many riots and violence occur. The events start flowing quicker and problems begin arising, especially concerning racism.
3. What is the unique factor?
The unique factor is that this is the day she tells us her story. The entire play is a set of flashbacks that the narrator, or Brenda, interrupts or guides us through.
4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play?
The dramatic question that is answered by the end of the play is what will happen between the two social groups. There is a build up of tension between them throughout the play. Both clash together in a violent riot in the final scene.
5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it.
The scene at the beginning of the play that describes Dave's Pharmacy illustrates a sense of community. It showed regular customers, and those who hung around the store. It shows on a small way, the closeness of the community on the west side.
Another illustration is Brenda's description of herself. Here we learn how she sees herself. The asthma, body weight, and acne lowers her self confidence. We also learn her family does not have much money as they all wear similar clothes stitched from the same fabric. This explains why she falls for Kali so easily as he is most likely the only one who has shown her attention.
6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be.
There are many theatrical moments in the play. A main one is probably starting high school. From there, you see all the problems of racism begin to show. All these people of different backgrounds come together and they all treat each other a certain way because of that fact. Even the teachers treat the students differently. Brenda's teacher makes her befriend another student because they're both 'ethnic'. The education also places them in different classes that makes it seem as though those from the west side who don't 'talk' the same need more help. And it is from this experience that helps shape the rest of the characters and events. We see Brenda do the same things with her students when she becomes a teacher and the cycle never ends.
7. List some of the themes of the play.
Racism is a major theme in the play. Brenda encounters racism in many forms, one being her teacher, Judy, and when she first enters college. She mentioned not being against the Vietnamese because "they look like us". Feminism is also another theme. His father didn't want her to get an education because he thought she'd become too smart for a man to want her.
8. What does the narrator want and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of her getting what she wants?
Once Brenda got older, she wanted to get out of West Side and get a higher education in college. However, she encountered a student who basically wanted to exploit her race. She eventually dropped from school because she wants to become a teacher to help the younger generation. She then becomes a teacher and wants to help the students. However, none of the students really respected her.
9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play.
The roses may be an image of hope. During the violence, they represented the bloodshed. How after all the violence, they still bloom through all the blood.
High school could be another image. Maybe seen as an instigator of conflict between different classes and races of people.
10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play.
The play did not focus much on familial relationships. There were some scenes where Brenda had confrontations with her family or more specifically, her dad. She ended up arguing with him and left home. She mentions that they make up and are better, but its very brief. The main relationships focused on were friendship and romantic relationships. They were the main ones a part of the riot that occurred in the end. Brenda's relationship with Kali is seen as more of a toxic relationship, where Kali often brings her down and she ends up dropping him all together in order to survive.